Revolving fan.



A Qq/4M 0. S. JENNINGS.

REVOLVING FANT APPLICATION FILE-D JAN. 6, 1915.

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WITNEssEs: l u

HOUSE ELECTRIC-Aivnivraivur'acrunrne REVOLVING' FAN;

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2,1918.

Application met January e, 1915. serial No. 789;

To aZZ'wtom t may concern: y l

Be itknown `that I, OLIVER S. JENNINGST acitizen of the United States; and a resident of VVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,. have invented a new and useful Improvement in Revolving Fans,l of which the following is a specilication. Y

My invention relates to revolving fans, and it has special reference to gyratory electric fans that are adapted to turn on an axis of rotation while simultaneously and automatically turning around an external axis of revolution.

@ne object of my invention is to provide a gyratory fan of simple,l compact and durable construction which shall be provided with positivelyT actuated mechanical means for effecting the rotation of the `i'au support by power derived from the rotating shaft that carries the anblades.

Another object omy inventioiris to provide 'a fan of the above-indicated character which can be readily adjusted to deliver air, either' horizontally or at various angles of inclination, without disengaging the gearing which causes the revolution of the fan structure.' V

In the accompanying( drawings, Figure 1 isa side view, mainly in elevation butpartly in section, of a revolving fan` constructed in accordance with myinvention, and Fig. 2

t is a si'deelevational view, with parts in secc tion, of a modified form. ot device embodymg my invention; In both of the structures shown in the drawing, means are'provid'ed for causing the structure whichV carries the fan motors to turn about an axisof revolution by the frictional engagement offene or more motor-driven rotating members with a circular stationary track.l Means are also providedy for-permitting the angle at which the fans deliver air to be" varied to Va considerable degree. without disengagingv the frictional driving means'.

The structure shown in Fig. 1g comprises two fan motors- 1 and 2 that are pivotally mounted upon arms' Sand 4 of! a rotatable bracket member 5L The bracket member 5 rotatablyl suspended: from' a hangerrod 6`,`to the lower endV ofwhichis rigidly attached a casing or'hood member 7 provided withl a horizontal" transverse partition 8; in which is formed a screwithreaded central opennggtl adapted to receive the upper; end

sleeve 10. A- bottomcasting13', which'` conforms in external contour to the shape of the bracket member 5; is attached t'o the lowerend of' thesleeve 10, and lamp sockets `121`may, if desired; be attached tothe casting 13 in order that thestructuremayserve as. an electrolier;

The hood member 7 is provided" with four equally-spaced slots 15 that are adapted* to receive'and-guide thcout'er endsyof'the four arms of a spider 16. To the endsr of the arms of the spider 16 is attached; bymeans or' screws 17, an annular member 1S providedj with ,a groove 19 which` serves as a stationary `friction track. The spider 1'6j` is provided with,` an'internally threaded central opening-that receives a screw-threaded sleeve 20, which is inclosed within the sleeve 10 and is provided with a {iange'Ql to rest upon the upperv end of the'sleeve 10. To tlielower end of the sleeve 20v is secured a knob' 2Q which prevents vertical movement of the sleeve 20l and bymeans ofwl'nch the sleeve `may be manuallyturned WhenV the sleeve 20is so turned, the screw engagement b'e tween the-sleeveand thespider` 16 causes the spider, and consequently the annular member 18, to move vertically; guided by the slots 15. u

The fan motors 1 andl 2 may be ot any a wellknown type, and the details of their` construction will therefore not be described.

Tothe innerend oflone orboth of thcarmatureshaf-ts Q5' ofthe fan motors issecured a worm 26 meshing wlth a worm: wheel' 27 9 thatL is'secured to the upper end of" a short shaft 2'8" which carries, at its lowerend; a ball 29 that is adaptedl to engage `t-l're-annular track 19 formed in the member1`8. Since the centers'offgravity of theL fan motors are beyond their points of pivotal attachment to thebracketarmsthe tan motors tend" to rotate outwardly, and the balls29aretherce by pressed' tightly against the track 195i Q Electric energy may supplied to the fan motors and to the lamp sockets I@ in anyv convenient mannen its" shown in the drawing brushes 30 and` 31 rest" upon. corresponding slip rings 32"" andi" 33"1 fromY which current is cond'actedl to the motors through bearings 44 in the casing 41 and is slidably conductors 34 and 35. The electric circuits maybe controlled in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a switch device 36 operated by means of a button 37 through an intermediate rod 38 inclosed Within theV sleeve 20.

Inthe operation, ofthe fan constructed in the manner shown, the rotation of the armature shaft 25 is communicated through the Worm 26 and the worm Wheel 27 to the shaft 28" and the balls 29, Which are in frictional engagement With the track 19, to cause the bracket 5, together with the fan motors, to rotate around the hanger 6. The tilt of the fans may be readily varied by turning the knob^22 and thereby moving the track 19 Averticallyin the slots 15. Since the motors are so pivoted that they tend to swing outwardly about their pivots, thevivill conform diers from that shown in Fig. 1 in that Vmeans are provided for varying the speed of rotation of the bracket 5. As in the preceding modification, each of the armature shafts 25 of the fan motors is provided with .jajvvorm 26 that meshes With a Worm Wheel secured tothe upper end of a short countershaft 40vvhich is mounted in bearings in a casing 41 attached to the rear end bell of the motor. The lower end of the counter-shaft `v40I carries a Worm 42 to mesh with a Worm Wheel 43 thatis held between suitable ball keyed to a splined shaft 45 Which carries, at its inner end, a ball 46.

The annular member 18, in this modifica- "tion of my device is provided With an out- Wardly against Which the balls 46 are adapted to press 1n order to turn the bracket 5 around the support 6, as in the first modification described above. 'lfheA speed at which the bracket is rotated may be varied by sliding ithe splined shafts 45 with respect to the Worm `WheelY 43 and thereby causing the balls 46 to take different radial positions with respect to the track 47. The shafts 45 may be securedin their adjusted positions by means of collars 48 which are fastened in place by means of set screws 49.` The ends of the shafts 45 opposite to the balls .46 may be threaded to receive nuts 50 which `prevent the shafts 45 from being-entirely ,j removed from engagement with the Worm i ;wheel43. HfdeSired, the ends of the shafts .Y E f45may.baseren-threaded,suificientlyto enla abletheiutswd to be'isicrewed into engagethe same inclination as the driving motor. Y

extending horizontal track 47V ment AWith the casing 41 and thus prevent any longitudinal movement of the shafts. This is not necessary. .liawevelnpsns the frictional engagement between, the.A track 47 and the balls 46 tends to force the shafts 45 lengthwise away from the center of revolution ofthe bracket 5. As inthe modification shown in Fig. 1, the annular member 18 carrying the track 47 may be vertically moved in the slots 15 by` manipulating the knob 22.y 1t will be evident that the second modification of my device Ais capable of many adjustments With respect to the tilt of the fan motors andthe speed at ivhich the supporting bracket revolves, and that eith'erof these adjustments may be made Without affecting theother by properly positioning the shafts 45 and the track 47. j

The structures which 1 have shown and described may be variously modified Without departing from` the principles of` my invention, and it isV therefore to be understood thatl my invention comprehends all such structural changes and modifications as fall Within the scope of the appended claims. j r

I claim as my invention:`

T1. The combination With a rotatable support, of al motor pivotally mounted on the said support, 'and friction jgearing driven by the said motor forrotating thesaid support, 'the said gearing being heldin frictional engagement asfthc said motor rotates under the influence of gravity about its pivotal axis. t 2. Thecombination with a' rotatable support, of a motor pivotally/mountedy onlthe said support, a normally stationary track disposed adjacent tothe said support, and a 4friction member driven by the said motor and adapted `toA engage' thef said track for .rotating theV said support as the said motor rotates under` the influence "of gravity about itspivotal aXis. f '3. The combination with arotatable'support, of a motor mounted on the support, a normally stationary track disposed adjacent to the said support, a friction member driven by theV said motor and 'adapted toengagethe said track for rotating the said support, and ineans for adjusting the position of the said track. u 1` j i 4. Thecombination with a rotatable support, of a fan motor pivotally mounted on the said support, a normally stationary track disposed adjacent to the said support, a shaft drivenby the said fan motor, and a rotatable friction V'member'r carried by 'the said shaft and `adapted to frictionally engage'` the said` track for rotating" thef,'sa`id support,as the saidmotor rotates underlthe linfluence of gravity about itsA pivotal axis. .5.; The `combinationI,with .a1 rotatable'` sup- V the said support, a normally stationary track disposed adjacent to the said support, a shaft driven by the said fan motor, and a ball carried by thesaid shaft and adapted to engage the said track for rotating the said support, as the said motor rotates under the influence of gravity about its pivotal axis.

6. The combination With a rotatable support, of a fan motor pivotally mounted on theV said support, a normally stationary track disposed adjacent to the said support, a friction member driven by the said fan motor and adapted to engage the said track, and screw-operated means for manually adjusting the position of the said track,and

for causing pivotal movement of Said motor on said support.,` l Y 7. The combination with a rotatable Support, of a fan motor pivotally mounted on the said support, a normally stationary 'track disposedadjacent tothe said support,

a friction member driven by the `said fan motor and adapted to engage the said support, means for supporting the saidtrack,

screw-operated means for manually adjusting the position of the said track support, and means'for varying the radial position of the said friction member With respect to the said track. Y

8. The combination with a rotatable supthe said support, a normally stationary cir` cular track disposed adjacent to the said support, a Worm axially associated With the armature shaft vof the said motor, a Worm Wheel meshing with the said Worm and se- `cured to a counter shaft, a Worm formed on the said counter shaft and meshing with a -worm Wheel slidably keyed to a splined shaft, a friction member carried bythe said splined shaft and adapted to 'engage the said track, and means for securing the said splined shaft in position with respect to the said Worm Wheel.

In testimony y whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this th clay of Dec.,

` i OLIVER S. J ENNINGS. I/Vitnesses:

R. D. BROWN, B. B. I-IINEs.

Series of this patent may be obtained for ve centsY each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

v c Washington, D. C. 

